Ordinary time “B”: Second Sunday

By Fr. Wandile Dlamini OSM

Theme: We are invited to change from our comfortable patterns of life, thinking or religious practices which we have set for ourselves, so that our work for a better world may succeed.

FIRST READING: 1 Sam 3:3-10, 19

In the book of Samuel Hannah, the devout but barren spouse of Elkanah, prayed to God for a son in the temple at Shiloh. She made a promise that if she has a son she will offer him to the Lord. Her prayers were answered and surely Hannah gave her son Samuel up into Eli’s care in the temple.

*Luke’s narration of the birth of John the Baptist recalls the miraculous birth of Samuel, and Hannah’s song of gratitude is echoed by Mary’s Magnificat . In our first reading Eli comes to realize that it is Samuel who is to succeed him as a prophet to bring the word of the Lord to the people.

PSALM 39 [40]

The Psalm expresses thanks to the Lord for saving us, recognizing that obedience is better than ritual sacrifice, as it is later seen in the supreme example of Jesus’ obedience.

SECOND READING, 1Cor 6.13-15, 17-20

Paul devotes several parts of his letter to the Corinthians to sexual immorality which some Corinthians did not see as sins, but Paul sees as offending God and sinning against your own body.

GOSPEL John 1.35-41

In the Gospel of St John the Baptist prophetically points out to his own disciples as the ‘Agnus Dei’ , the Lamb of God, so they follow him instead. Like the rest of the disciples of Jesus, they come to Jesus through the witness of others, answering to the call to ‘come and see’.

Fr. Wandile Dlamini OSM